Our History
An abbreviated history…
There has been much written about the history of the Shaare Hayim Congregation, its origins, founders, benefactors, leaders, Ministers, lay readers, and various personalities, which has led to the creation of our wonderful Congregation as we see it today.
There has been much written about the history of the Shaare Hayim Congregation, its origins, founders, benefactors, leaders, Ministers, lay readers, and various personalities, which has led to the creation of our wonderful Congregation as we see it today.
Here’s a brief background as to the establishment of Shaare Hayim…
The Mauldeth Road Synagogue, Mosely Lodge, Mauldeth Road, Withington. Founded 1904 – 1927. Known as The Withington Congregation of Spanish & Portuguese Jews. The congregation was a daughter congregation of the Manchester Congregation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews, in Cheetham Hill, itself a daughter of the Bevis Marks Spanish and Portuguese Congregation, London. The Sephardi congregation in Manchester consisted mainly of Jews emigrating from The Balkans and the Ottoman Empire - Syria, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon – as well as from North Manchester moving south.
The Mauldeth Road Synagogue, Mosely Lodge, Mauldeth Road, Withington. Founded 1904 – 1927. Known as The Withington Congregation of Spanish & Portuguese Jews. The congregation was a daughter congregation of the Manchester Congregation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews, in Cheetham Hill, itself a daughter of the Bevis Marks Spanish and Portuguese Congregation, London. The Sephardi congregation in Manchester consisted mainly of Jews emigrating from The Balkans and the Ottoman Empire - Syria, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon – as well as from North Manchester moving south.
Around 1920, there was rapid influx of Sephardim into the Didsbury/Withington area, the new arrivals found considerable dissatisfaction with the unfamiliar Spanish and Portuguese minhag, and wished to retain their own distinctive form of worship brought with them from Aleppo, Beirut, Baghdad and elsewhere. This rift resulted in breakaway houses of worship, for example, at 71 Palatine Road (1911) and Creswell Grove (1915/16), amongst other homes.
However, a major breakaway from the Mauldeth Road Synagogue occurred in 1917, when a private house was acquired at 119 Palatine Road, West Didsbury, which became known as the West Didsbury New Synagogue and continued until 1927.
In November 1921, a ’peace’ agreement was reached between the two synagogues and a new amalgamated single synagogue was established on Queens Road (now Queenston Road), Withington, known as Shaare Rachamim. The Congregation kept the name "The Withington Congregation of Spanish & Portuguese Jews". The Foundation stone was laid on 24 May 1925. The Synagogue opened 3 April 1927, seating 576 worshippers.
However, not all were satisfied and some members broke away, establishing in 1924 The Shaare Sedek, Synagogue and Talmud Torah on Old Lansdowne Road, West Didsbury (known as ‘Shaare Sedek’). The foundation stone was laid on 26 April 1924. The Synagogue opened on 6 September 1925, with seating for 225 (est).
Such was the strength of the Sephardi community, that between 6 September 1925 and 3 April 1927, there were three synagogues operating in West Didsbury and Withington – reportedly all operating in fierce competition, hostility and animosity.
Despite previous failed attempts to merge, 1997 finally saw the merger of Shaare Rachamim and Shaare Sedek into the newly-named single congregation, rebranded under the neutral name ‘Shaare Hayim’. For stability and harmony, and to ensure both traditions were preserved within the newly amalgamated congregation, services alternated between Shaare Rachamim on Queenston Road and Shaare Sedek on Old Lansdowne Road.
Sadly, in 2009 the Shaare Sedek Synagogue closed, and its final farewell ceremony took place on 17 January 2010, prior to it being sold, with its proceeds invested in the Congregation’s future. Whilst the merged Shaare Hayim continued in Didsbury, services now being held exclusively at Queenston Road, a group of its younger members wished to hold services in the Hale area where they lived. A fledgling satellite Sephardi service was first held in Hale in April 2001 on a temporary trial basis. Its pioneers pursued the dream of holding more permanent services in the area, culminating on 13 October 2013, with the laying of the foundation stone for the re-named ‘Shaare Sedek Synagogue’, Wicker Lane, Hale Barns.
After many years in the planning and building, with services being held all over the Hale area in the interim, eventually on 29 January 2017, the Shaare Sedek, opened at 24 Wicker Lane, Hale Barns, often referred to as ‘the Wicker Lane Synagogue’.
So, now we have one congregation with two operational Synagogues.
So, now we have one congregation with two operational Synagogues.
Mon, 7 April 2025 9 Nisan 5785